Although winter officially ended at 2:16 PM on the 20th of March, spring did not really arrive in New Hope until 3 PM on April 7 at the Concordia Chamber Players concert.
Beginning with Mozart’s Piano Trio in B-flat major which Musicologist, Neal Zaslaw described as one of Mozart’s greatest achievements in the sonata-rondo form, the Concordia established a true romantic and sprightly theme for its spring concert at New Hope-Solebury High School’s acoustically pleasing Stephen Buck Theater. And just like this great season the concert grew in intensity from Milhaud’s somber and lively Trio for Clarinet,Violin and Piano to an energetic and triumphant conclusion with Dvorak’s Piano Quartet in E flat that brought the audience to its feet in a standing ovation.
In the Mozart Trio cellist, Michelle Djokic, Artistic Director of the Concordia Chamber Players, sustained a gentle dialog with violinist, Carmit Zori and pianist, Gail Niwa. Zori, who appears regularly with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center can be heard on recording labels including Arabesque, Koch International and Elektra-Nonesuch, and Niwa has recorded with David Kim, concertmaster for the Philadelphia Orchestra for The Musical Heritage Society and Teldec labels.
David Krakauer, world-acclaimed clarinetist and creator of “Klezmer Madness,” a combination of East European Jewish music and various forms including jazz and rock, led Milhaud’s Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano in a somber, witty, lively and at times humorous performance accompanied by pianist Gail Niwa and Violinist, Carmit Zori.
The Concordia Players brilliantly portrayed the emergence of spring in their presentation of Dvorak’s Piano Quartet in E flat that concluded the afternoon concert. Robert Rinehart, violist with the New York Philharmonic, Michelle Djokic, Carmit Zori and Gail Niwa keenly developed an exchange of melodies between the strings and piano that progressed to a furious theme before ending in triumph and joy.
The concert concluded the Concordia Chamber Players 2001-2002 season. Information about their upcoming season is available on the Concordia website at www.concordiaplayers.org and by calling 215-295-5972.
Concordia conducts free informances in area schools prior to each concert. The informances are aimed at acquainting students with the artist, the instrument and the music. Children may then attend future Concordia concerts free when accompanied by an adult ticketholder. Details about getting your school included in the informances can be found on the website.